Some trategies to increase the efficency of solving word - Form questions for the grade 12 students at tinh gia 4 high school

THANH HOA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRANING
TINH GIA 4 HIGH SCHOOL
EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE
“SOME TRATEGIES TO INCREASE THE EFFICENCY OF SOLVING WORD - FORM QUESTIONS FOR THE GRADE 12 STUDENTS AT TINH GIA 4 HIGH SCHOOL”
The author: Trần Thị Thắm
 Job position: Teacher
Experience initiative about: English
THANH HOA – 2017
TABLE OF CONTENT
page
1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................
1.1. Rationale................................................................................................................
1.2. The aims of the research .................................................................................
1. 3. The objects of the research ..........................................................................
1.4. The researching methods................................................................................
2. THE CONTENT.............................................................................................. ..
2.1. An overview of word formation .......................................................
2.1.1. Nouns......
2.1.2. Adjectives. ... 
2.1.3. Adverbs ... 
2.1.4. Verbs . 
2. 2. The situation of teaching and learning 
word –formation in Tinh Gia 4 High School.............................................
2.3. The solutions and application...............................................................
2. 3.1. In the procedure of teaching vocabulary .... 
2.3.2. In the procedure of practising vocabulary ....
2. 4. The results............................................................................................................
3. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS........................... .
3.1. Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 
3.2. Recomendations .............................................................................................. 
COMFIRMATION OF THE HEAD OFFICE .. 
CONFIRMATION OF THE AUTHOR ... 
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................
APPENDIX: 
Some word – form practice tests for Grade 12 students
 ( collected and edited)
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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Rationale 
 In recent years, English has been considered by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) as compulsory subjects in the National examinations. This shows that English can be considered as a core subject at high schools. Despite its importance, students are not really interested in learning English, and the results of English have never been positive for last few years . One of the reasons lies in the lack of vocabulary, which is considered as a crucial part in mastering a foreign language. Students often find hard to memorize new vocabulary and feel confused by the variety of word formation. What is more, for the grade 12 students, who are stuffing their head for the coming exams, vocabulary and knowledge of word formation is much more important than ever before. Because of the urgent need of learning and consolidating English of our students, I decided to choose the topic "WORD FORMATION" to help students recognize word classes, practise skills of vocabulary building as well as improve the efficiency in solving questions in English Tests.
1. 2. The aims of the research
The research is aimed at providing teachers of English some techniques, experiences and a source of practice tests to help the grade 12 students overcome word – form questions effectively. 
1. 3. The objects of the research
The project concerned with procedure in teaching word formation and practising word form questions in the classes 12 b2, 12 b6, at Tinh Gia 4 high school in the school year 2016 – 2017.
1. 4. The researching methods 
During the conduction of the research, I made use of the following methods:
- Studying reference books and other sources on the Internet.
- Observing and consulting from other teachers’ classes, discusses and experiences.
- Using tests and ways of assessments.
2. THE CONTENT
2.1. An overview of word formation in English
According to Raymond Murphy, words in English can be classified into categories as follow:
2.1.1. Nouns
- Noun is a word used as the name of a peron, thing, animal, place ...
Ex: Student ( person ) Blackboard (thing) 
 Cat ( animal ) Countryside (place)
- The functions of a noun: 
	- Subject (This girl is intelligent)
	- Objective (She eats a banana.)
	- Complement ( He is a footballer.)
	- Appositive (Mr. David, a famous doctor, is my father’s friend)
	- Object of a preposition (Everybody is interested in sports)
	 - Adjective: (The Vietnam War is different from any other one).
- The ways to form a noun.
Form
Examples
 AR
- Verb + ER
 OR
- sailor, actor ...
- teacher, driver, viewer, singer...
- beggar, liar ...
 ION
- Verb + ING
	 MENT
- action, invention, liberation, conclusion ...
- writing, making, liking, cooking, learning...
- movement, development, investment, punishment, 
amusement ...
-Noun/Adjective + OM
- kingdom, freedom, wisdom 
- Noun/Adjective+ HOOD 
- boyhood, neigbourhood, childhood, brotherhood
- Noun/ Adjective + ISM 
- capitalism, patriotism, terrorism, heroism, communism.
- socialism, racialism, colonialism
	 - Adjective + NESS/ Y/ITY
- happiness, laziness, illness, sickness ...
- cruelty, loyalty, difficulty ...
- possibility, ability, capability, ability, curiosity ...
- Verb + ANT
- assistant, accountant, applicant, contestant...
- Adjective Noun
- angry → anger	 - long	 → length
- brave → bravery - proud → pride
- deep → depth - terrible → terror
- famous → fame - young → youth
- high → height - hot → heat
- true → truth 
- just → justice
- Verb Noun
- choose → choice - live → life
- prove → proof - strike → stroke
- sing → song - advise → advice
- enter → entry - fail → failure
- feed → food - laugh → laughter
- renew → renewal - sit → seat
- speak → speech - see → sight
- sell → sale - die → death
- bury → burial - lose → loss
	2.1.2. Adjectives
- Adjective is a word that modifies a noun. It usually stands before a noun.
 Ex: a horse	 	 a charming room
 an apple 	 a furnished house
 this old house	
- The uses of adjectives
	- Attribute adjectives
 	Ex: intelligent student, large room, big house 
	 - Predicative adjectives: as compliments for subjects and after verbs: BE / LINKING VERBS (become / get / look / seem ..)
	Ex: - My brother is young 
	 - You look tired 
 	- Object compliment a compliments for objects and after verbs: find, make, set, keep, leave...
	Ex: I found this lesson difficult 
	 The sun keeps us warm
-The adjective must be placed after the noun of time, of measurement or words (something, anything, nothing)
	Ex: Twenty years old
	 Five yards long
	 Nothing strange
	 I didn’t notice anything wrong with him.
* The way to form an adjective:
Form
Examples
Noun - Adjective
choir → choral 
circle → circular
union → united
fashion → fashionable
honour → honourable
notice → noticeable
reason → reasonable
value → valuable
terror → terrible
sense → sensible
horror → horrible
access → accessible
luxury → luxurious
victory → victorious
vapour → vapourous
variety → various
danger → dangerous
dangour → dangourous
mountain→mountainous
venom → venomous
peril → perilous
caution → cautious
citrus → citreous
fortune → fortunate
apprehension→pprehensive
neglect → neglected
picture → picturesque
charity → charitable 
gold → golden
wool → woolen
wood → wooden
earth → earthen
North → Northern
West → Western
fury → furious
glory → glorious
melody → melodious
mystery → mysterious
prosper → prosperous
bounty → bounteous
mischief→mischievous
advent → adventitious
affection → affectionate 
authority→ authoritative
intuition → intuitive
Verb → adjective
abhor → abhorrent
obey → obedient
absorb → absorbent
notice → noticeable
compel → compelling
please → pleasing
learn → learned
vacate → vacant
marvel → marvelous
strain → strenduous
quarrel → quarrelsome
benefit → benificial
abuse → abusive
collect → collective
create → creative
decide → decisive
describe → descriptive
affirm → affirmative
image → imaginative
deceive→deceptive/ deceitful 
vary → various
accept → acceptable
admire → admirable
choose → choosy
volunteer→ voluntary
unite → united
comply → compliant
grieve → grievous
prosper → prosperous
study → studious
meddle → meddlesome
criticize → critical
attend → attentive
compete → competitive
destroy → destructive
express → expressive
extend → extensive
decorate → decorative
inform → informative
noun - FUL
harmful - pocketful
handful - useful
peaceful - basketful
successful - helpful
noun -LESS
childless
harmless
odourless
hopeless
useless
helpless
homeless
noiseless
thoughtless
noun -LY
manly
yearly
brotherly
fatherly
hourly
daily
noun -LIKE
lifelike
warlike
statemanlike
childlike
godlike
noun - Y
silvery 
snowy
crafty
rainy
faulty
dirty
sandy
starry
healthy
silky
shadowy
wintery
noun - ISH
foolish
childish
selfish
amateurish
noun -AL
central
accidental
traditional
occasional
personal
optional
natural
magical
industrial
agricultural
Noun→ Adjective
difference different
patience patient
independence independent
vigilance vigilant
distance distant
circumstance circumstantial
volcano volcanic
sympathy sympathic
hero heroic
giant giantic
energy energic
metal metallic
poet poetic
academy academic
anemia anemic
athlete athletic
quarrel quarrelsome
trouble troublesome
choir choral
circle circular
picture picturesque
charity charitable
fashion fashionable
honour honourable
notice noticeable
reason reasonable
sense sensible
horror horrible
gold golden
wool woolen
glory glorious
apprehension apprehensive
intuition intuitive
abhor abhorrent
obey obedient
absorb absorbent
acquiesce acquiescent
strain strainous
venom venomous
volume voluminous
peril perilous
mischief mischievous
caution cautious
advent adventitious
citrus citreous
affection affectionate
fortune fortunate
authority authoritative
mystery mysterious
victory victorious
prosper prosperous
vapour vapourous
variety various
bounty bounteous
clamour clamourous
danger dangerous
murder murderous
dangour dangourous
disaster disastrious
advantage advantageous
courage courageous
mountain mountainous
wood wooden
earth earthen
North Northern
West Western
fury furious
benefit beneficial
criticize critical
abuse abusive
attend attentive
collect collective
compete competitive
create creative
Verb → Adjective
admire admirable
notice noticeable
choose choosy
volunteer voluntary
compel compelling
learn learned
comply compliant
vacate vacant
grieve grievous
marvel marvelous
study studious
quarrel quarrelsome
decide decisive
express expressive
extend extensive
select selective
affirm affirmative
decorate decorative
image imaginative
inform informative
deceive deceptive / deceitful
meddle meddlesome
2. 1.3. Adverbs
- Adverbs express how, when, or where an action is done.
- The positions of adverbs: 
	 - Adverbs which modify the meaning of adjectives or other adverbs are placed “ before” the word modified.
	Ex: She is very beautiful.
	 (adj)
	 He sings very well. 
 (adv)
	- Adverbs which modify the meaning of a whole sentence are placed at the beginning of the sentence.
	Ex: Usually we go to school by motor cycle.
	- Adverbs which modify the meaning of verbs.
	Ex: He is running fast.
 I live here.
 I am speaking now.
- The way to form adverbs:
ADJECTIVE + LY → ADVERB OF MANER
* Notes:
- There is a change of the final vowel when necessary
 Ex: lucky → luckily 
 happy → happily
 slow → slowly
- Some adverbs have the same form as adjectives
 Ex: - I went to New York by a fast train. 
 (adj)
 - He ran fast. 
 (adv)
 - We were late for school.
 (adj)
 - We went t school late. 
 (adv)
2. 1. 4. Verbs
- Verb is a word or a group which expresses an action or state of being
- Types of verbs: 
	- Transitive verb: is one which is used with an object 
	Ex: 	The waiter brings coffee (object)
	 	The student learns English (object)
	- Intransitive verb: is one which is used without an object. 
	It can not be used in the passive voice.
 Ex: The sun rises.
 The baby is sleeping .
*Notes:
- Most of English verbs are used both transitively and intransitively.
	 Ex: - The boy rings the bell.
	 - The bell rings.
	 - The girl is singing a song.
	 - The girl is singing.
- Few verbs are used transitively or intransitively.
	Ex: - The boy lays the book.(object)
	 - The boy is lying on the table.
	 - He sets the bird free.
	 - He sits on the chair.
- Auxiliary verb: Auxiliary verb is one which helps other verbs to form tenses, moods or voices. The auxiliary verbs : be, will, shall. Do do, did.
	Ex: - He is studying English
	 - She will come to the party.
	 - An apple is eaten by Mary.
	 - They have gone away.
	 - Tom doesn’t understand the lesson.
- Modal verb: Modal verb is one which can’t conjugate in all tenses, and moods.
The modal verbs are: will, shall, can, may, might, need, dare, used to, ought to
	 Ex: - He can swim.
	 - Can’t he swim ?
 - The ways to form verbs 
 Form
Example
NOUN→ VERB
Camp
Encamp
horror
horrorify
Circle
Encircle
justice
justify
Courage
Encourage
liquid
liquefy
Danger
Endanger
terror
terrify
Roll
Enroll
belief
believe
Slavery
Enslaver
blood
bleed
Tomb
Entomb
brass
braze
Power
Empower
glass
glaze
Calm
Becalm
deceit
deceive
Friend
Befriend
deed
Do
Company
accompany
endurance
endure
Custom
Accustom
food
Feed
Actor
Act
gold
Gild
Creator
Create
grief
grieve
Addition
Add
growth
Grow
Circulation
Circulate
knee
kneel
Competition
Compete
knowledge
know
Composition
Compose
life
Live
Description
Describe
pleasure
please
Dictation
Dictate
product
produce
Division
Divide
proof
prove
Education
Educate
relief
relieve
Illustration
Illustrate
sale
Sell
Imitation
Imitate
shelf
shelve
Obligation
Obligate
song
Sing
Provision
Provide
speech
speak
Solution
Solve
success
succeed
Suspicious
Suspect
thought
think
Liberty
Liberate
price
prize
Wreath
Wreathe
tale
Tell
Bath
Bathe
colony
colonize
Breath
Breathe
drama
dramatize
Cloth
Clothe
moisture
moisturize
Bright
Brighten
nation
nationalize
Broad
Broaden
sympathy
sympathize
Sweet
Sweeten
vandal
Vandalize
Trial
Try
vapour
Vapourize
Dirt
Dirty
vitality
Vitalize
Beauty
Beautify
vacancy
Vacate
Class
Classify
vaccine
Vaccinate
Glory
Glorify
ADJ →VERB
Deep
Deepen
large
Enlarge
Dark
Darken
modern
Modernize
Fat
Fatten
Simple
Simplify
Short
Shorten
Cool
Cool
Sharp
Sharpen
Full
Fill
Straight
Straighten
Hale
Heal
Tight
Tighten
Weak
Weaken
Wide
Widen
2. 2. The situation of teaching and learning word - formation at Tinh Gia 4 High school.
	For most units in the English text books, including English 10, English 11 and English 12, it can be seen that the amount of the word – form tasks is not adequate. No lesson is devoted to consolidating the knowledge. However, word formation questions are compulsory in most tests. Students are afraid of those questions, because of the lack of lexical knowledge and the skills of analyzing the sentences. Besides, the teacher has not equipped them with lexical knowledge and necessary skills to overcome these obstacles. This situation not only decreases students’ motivation in English lessons but also affects the students’ test results.
At the beginning of the school year 2016-2017, after finishing Unit 1 – Home Life, I conducted two 15 minute tests in the two classes with the vocabulary learned. I didn’t have positive results, as the supporting table below:
Class
Total
Excellence
Good
Average
Weak
Quantity
%
Quantity
%
Quantity
%
Quantity
%
12b2
 42
1
2.4
7
16.6
28
66.7
6
14.3
11 b6
39
0
0
5
12.8
17
43.6
15
38.5
2. 3. The solutions and application
2. 3.1. In the procedure of teaching vocabulary
 	In teaching word formation as well as instruction students to do related exercises, it is essential for teacher to follow those steps
a. Revise the lexical knowledge:
 	Lexical knowledge includes definitions, functions and the positions of nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs. Once the students have mastered this knowledge, they will be access the large amount of vocabulary in each lesson much easier. The knowledge of lexical knowledge is also helpful when students analyse the sentence to do word form questions
b. Revise basic ways to form new words in English .
- Before provide students with the meaning of the new words, teachers may ask them questions to elicit the parts of speech if the words based on its form.
For example:
 + Nouns often have suffixes : - tion, - sion, -er, -or ...
 + Adjectives often have suffixes: - able, - ful, - less, - al ...
 + Adverbs often have suffixes - ly
c. Provide students with common structures for analyzing word form questions 
- Remember these structures can help students much in analyzing and finding the correct answers in most word form questions.
- Common structures: 
- SUBJECT + BE / LINKING VERBS + ADJ 
(linking verbs: become, look, sem, turns out, find, make, set, keep ...)
 - SUBJECT + VERB + ADV 
Ex: - The flowers are fresh (adj)
 - Peter ran faster than I did.(adv)
 - SUBJECT + VERB + TO INFINITIVE
afford, want, forget, arrange, need, ask, dare, agree, attempt, tend
learn(how), plan, decide, pretend, threaten, appear, offer, expect,
refuse, manage, fail, happen, beg, prepare, promise, hope
 Ex: - I like George but I think he pretends to talk too much.
 - I decide not to go out because of the weather. 
 - SUBJECT + VERB + OBJECT + TO INFINITIVE
advise / allow / ask / beg / encourage / hate / intent / invite /would like / need / persuade / remind tell / want / warn /expect / help / would prefer / order / force / enable.
Ex: - Remind me to phone Ann tomorrow.
 - I got Jack to repair my car.
 - SUBJECT + VERB + BARE INFINITIVE
can / could may / might / must / ought to / have to / would rather
 had better / would sooner
Ex: - I would rather do it later.
 - He can solve the problem.
 - SUBJECT + VERB + OBJECT + BARE INFINITIVE
have / let / help / make / get
Ex: - His mother makes him go to bed at 9 o’clock.
 - The teacher had his students do homework.
- SUBJECT + VERB + VING
can’t bear / can’t help / can’t stand / finish / enjoy / mind / suggest / fancy / image / risk / give up / stop / put off / delay / postpone / carry on / continue / go on / regret / admit / avoid / consider / involve / practice / miss / hate / love / like / dislike
Ex: - I don’t fancy going out this evening.
 - I’ll do the shopping when I have finished cleaning the flat.
 - When I’m on holiday, I enjoy not having to get up early 
 * Notes 
- We use V – ing after these phrases:
	It’s no use .
	It’s no good . 
	There’s no point in ..
	It’s (not) worth .
	(have) difficulty 
	a waste of time / money.
	spend / waste (time) .
Ex: - I had difficulty finding a place to live
 - I spent hours trying to repair the clock
- We also use V-ing after “go” to indicate certain activities:
	go shopping 	go sailing
	go climbing 	go fishing
	go swimming 	go sightseeing
	go skiing 	go riding
- VERB + TO INFINITIVE / VING
- love, like, begin, start, intend, continue + to infinitive / Ving ( With no change in meanings)
- However, there may be changes in meanings if the verbs are followed with V-ing or to- V
* VERB + to infinitive: indicating purposes, plans or duties in the future. 
* VERB + Ving: conveying